Our primary purpose is to connect adventurers with scientists. We do that by asking adventure athletes to collect scientific data while they're out hiking, biking, skiing and climbing. Through that, we are providing the scientific community with access to information that they've never had before.

What do the adventurers get out of it?

Adventurers are often looking for ways in which they can do more. So this is a service for them as well. They can participate in something more meaningful than just the climb or the hike. We want to change the way everybody spends their time outside so we're also running a citizen science project to train the public how to participate in these studies.

What inspired you to set up the service?

In 2004, I hiked the Appalachian Trail and there was one moment when I had fallen and was pretty miserable. I picked up a rock and chucked it at a tree in frustration. It took a big chunk out of that tree. It was a really low point. Most importantly, it made me feel like I was out there doing nothing beneficial for the world or for anyone. So I vowed right there and then that I would make a difference with my time outside.

Tell us about a good pairing you have made.

An ecologist named Roman Dial from Alaska Pacific University studies ice worms. We linked him up with ski mountaineer Clark Corey, who was leading a trip through the Chugach mountains in Alaska and had heard about our programme and wanted to participate. We got Roman some great information that he wouldn't have otherwise had the time or resources to get.

And when Justin Lichter and Shawn Forrey hiked from the easternmost to westernmost peaks of the Himalayas, they collected data on bar-headed geese, which migrate over that range.

What projects are under way at the moment?

One we're doing now is the millipede project. One of our adventurers is collecting millipedes during an expedition to the Arctic for Bruce Snyder of Kansas State University. They've been able to identify a new type of millipede.

Any projects that need volunteers?

Yes. We're doing coyote scat collections, monitoring locations and types of roadkill and making high-altitude rock collections from peaks across the globe. There's really no limit.

It sounds like the project has really taken off.

I've been surprised by how quickly both the adventure and science worlds have gotten on board. We're getting new expeditions at a rate that we can't keep up with.

Will you be joining in any projects?

In March 2013, I'll be going with a team of three researchers to study wolverines in Mongolia.

Profile

Gregg Treinish founded Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation in 2010. He has worked as a wildlife biologist and on wilderness therapy programmes. In 2008 he completed the first trek of the entire length of the Andes

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"We are providing the scientific community with access to information that they've never had before"